<span style="color: #222222;">The government has accorded the highest priority to getting a permanent membership for the country in an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said, India is actively engaged in the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on UNSC reform. He said, a series of initiatives, involving bilateral and multilateral platforms, have been undertaken by the government in pursuance of this objective. <br />''<br />''The Minister said, India is working alongside other reform-oriented countries through its membership in the G-4 Group that includes India, Japan, Brazil and Germany and the L-69 Group, which is a cross-regional grouping of developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America to build support among the UN member states for expansion of the UN Security Council.<br />''<br />''Mr Muraleedharan said, as a result of India's sustained efforts, a large number of countries have supported its candidature for a permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council. He said, this has been expressed in various forms and fora including in bilateral inter-governmental meetings. </span>